Vehicle-wheel.



Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

1 NVE'NTOR WITNESSES:

M (Ma/WM 6. CAL

AUGUST SAUNIER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE-w nner.

Specific ation of w s latcnt.

Application filed August 19, 1912. Serial No. 715,845.

-To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known t at I, AUGUST anon ran, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of Califgfi'nia, have invented new and useful Improvements, in Vehicle-Wheels, of which the following-is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels.

The object of the present invention is to provide a "ehicle wheel involving "details of construction desi in the wheel su stantially as efficient in yieldability as the ordinary pneumatic tire, and which wheel consists of inner and outer relatively movable arts substantially connected by flexible cus hions or springs adapted to permit an eccentric movement of the wheel center with relation to the tread.

The invention consists of a flexible tread member, a floating-central wheel, and alternately contacting springs in combination with springs constantly in engagement with the rim of the wheel. j

, It also comprises details of construction which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation partly insection of the improved wheel. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an enlarged detail of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

My improved wheel comprises in the prescntembodimenta central floating hub 'portion 9, having a substantial felly 3 which may be circumscribed by a reinforcing band 1. Appropriately connected to the band 4,

. as by bolts'fw, is a series of circumferentially spaced clips 6 having upwardly convergent ends 7, to the adjacent faces of which are bolted arcuate springs 8 and 9, the axes, of which are transverse to the wheel.

Upon alternate-of the springs, as 8, for instance, there is arranged and connected by bolts 1 or other equivalent devices, a continuous read orriin port-ion composed of a flexible, metallic, flat ring 11, imposed upon which is a cushion of rubber or some equivalent 12; the latter being iiicased by a flexible fabric or material 13, such as leather,

which is continued over the sides oi. the

" wheel and extended down to the folly 3,

which is shown as provided on its opposite faces with grooves 1 t in'which the incasing material 13 is secured by clamp rings 15,

ed to afford a resiliency the felly member,

through-which may extend fastening devices, as bolts 16.

The tread portion, consisting of the parts 11. 12 and 1 3, of the wheel is spaced from the central portion by the alternate springs "8, while the other alternate set of springs,

as 9, are of somewhat less diameter than the springs 8 and, therefore, do not normally engage or contact with the inner surface of the ring 11. \Vhen the wheel is revolving and subjected to a load, the sprin 8 of greater diameter will yield, as will also the lower portion of the tread 11 which is flexi- Patented Jan. 13, 1914. I

ble, whereupon the tread will approach and j bear upon the surface of the outer portion ,of the springs 9, which latter then become operative to bear a part of the load.

1 rom. the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts it will be seen that the wheel consists of a flexible tread constantly supported, with relation to the cent-a1 floa'ting wheel portion, by a series of springs, as 8, of relatively larger diameter than the intermediate springs 9, and that when the wheel is in operation in certain running conditions, or load encountered, the supporting springs 8 are assisted by the coming into lay of the auxiliary springs 9 as these pass below the level of the center of the wheel. -For-instance, if a vehicle is running over smooth roads or streets with a lightdoad, it may be that only the springs 8 will be operative in carrying the load, but at certain times, as when irregularities of roadway or increase in the load occur, then the springs '8 will yield and the flexible tread port-ion will bend suliicieutly to bring the auxiliary springs 9 into play and assist in carrying the load imposed.

It. will be seen that, by virtue of the direct connection with the hoop-shaped spring, as 8, with the tread member and with these two will have a limited diflerential movement, and that power may be transmitted from the central floating wheel member through the springs to the tread member when the wheel is a driver.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pateat is- The combination in a vehicle wheel, of a central floating wheel member, an exterior tread member, a series of spaced arcuate springs, all of which are rigidly connected each end detaehably connected to the inner 10 member by a clip, which clip is secured between. its ends to the inner member, and the ends 'of the clips being bent'out-wardly c0n- \"ergently to overlap the ends of adjacent springs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1:

my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST SAUNIER. \Vitnesses Jenn H. Humane, ROBERT R. Russ. 

